Betty van der Smissen was an alumna of the University of Kansas and Indiana University and an educator, writer, and consultant in the field of outdoor recreation and risk management. Contents of this collection date from 1954 through 2008 and consist mainly of teaching material such as course syllabi, correspondence, readings, and exams; research and drafts of publications; handbooks and self-assesment material for park and recreation agency accreditations; and material related to van der Smissen's participation in professional organizations and conferences.